


Heart and Soul

by HYPERFocused



Category: Everwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-30
Updated: 2004-12-30
Packaged: 2017-11-28 03:09:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/669595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HYPERFocused/pseuds/HYPERFocused
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes a duet needs to be practiced.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart and Soul

**Author's Note:**

  * For [supergrover24](https://archiveofourown.org/users/supergrover24/gifts).



> for **supergrover24** because she knows the notes.

It was almost Christmas when Ephram noticed Bright hadn't been around much, lately. Sure, they'd had a bit of a falling out, but he thought they were back on track to being friends. He'd kind of thought they'd been heading towards more. And yes, Bright could have been mad at him because of his break-up with Amy, but he'd said he understood. Probably better than Ephram did himself.

Ephram knew he had hurt Amy by telling her they needed to go back to being friends, or at least step back a little, but it was the best thing he could do. He had too much going on, and frankly, worrying about her was draining the energy he needed to devote to his future. He didn't have big enough shoes to fill the Amy's Boyfriend role.

Getting ready for his school auditions was his first priority. Practically his only priority when it came right down to it. Bright got that. Bright didn't complain when Ephram didn't want to talk. He was happy just hanging out in Ephram's studio. Ephram had learned to tune out the random crackles and beeps from the bag of chips and the Game Boy that kept Bright occupied while he practiced.

It was kind of nice having him there, Ephram thought. With Amy, there had always been this underlying sense that he hadn't done enough for her. As much as she'd claimed just to want to "be there for him," he knew she'd expected to be the center of their relationship. It was the barely audible "sigh" under her breath every time she sat down to wait while he played that was the death knell in their relationship for him. He didn't need that kind of guilt. Amy deserved a boyfriend who could give her his full attention. She deserved a boyfriend who wanted to.

"I don't want casual, Ephram. I want someone who will put me first." He remembered the way her eyebrows had knit together when he tried to feel her out about lightening up their relationship. He really would have been happy that way. They could go out and have fun, and not feel lonely. But with Amy, everything had to be fraught with meaning. Ephram didn't really believe she loved him, as much as she wanted to be in love.

"Last and always, too," he'd said.

"After all I've been through, don't I deserve that?" Ephram counted in his head until the dreaded name came up. Amy's personal 'get out of jail free' card. "I didn't think I'd ever love anyone after Colin."

Ephram had his doubts about the accuracy of her memories from her relationship with Colin, who sometimes seemed real enough that he could picture him wandering the halls at school, and other times was as ephemeral as a dream. Clearly they hadn't known the same guy.

He shook thoughts of both Amy and Colin out of his mind. The issue now was Bright. What had happened to him? It had been weeks since he has spent his afternoons crashed out on the couch in Ephram's studio. Ephram knew he was working for one of his mother's local government associates, but he usually still had time to hang out with Ephram.

He couldn't concentrate anymore. It was too quiet. No one was making inane comments. "That sounds like music for insane people, Ephram." " _That_ sounds like music _by_ insane people." No one was making him scoot over on the bench, and playing Heart and Soul -- badly, leaving orange dust on the keys that Ephram pretended to be more annoyed about than he was. "Bright, I really need to practice," he'd said. Now he wished he'd played along. No one was begging him to play "The Snoopy Song", but not listening when he told him about The Vince Guaraldi Trio. No one's warm, strong thigh was pressed against his, making him stay at the keyboard long after he might have gotten up to stretch his legs.

As much as Amy's presence had distracted Ephram, Bright's absence was making it very hard to work.

It didn't take long for his question to be answered, and not by the person he expected. Delia came into the kitchen the next afternoon. It was the first day of Winter break, and she and Brittany had been to the mall.

"Ephram! You'll never guess what we saw! Bright has a new job." Delia had started, before breaking into giggles.

"He looks like such a dork, I can't believe I ever thought he was hot," Brittany had added. Ephram didn't like her, but there was no point in telling Delia that. She was old enough to pick her own friends, even if she wasn't quite mature enough to know when they weren't worth keeping.

"What's he doing? Working at the Orange Julius?"

"What's that?" Brittany had asked.

"Never mind. He's weird," Delia had told her. "No, he's Santa's helper. I think he's supposed to be an elf."

"He has a costume, and everything. He looks ridiculous." Apparently Brittany only liked Bright when he was out by the pool, or wearing a tux. Or maybe she'd moved on to some boyband twit or actor.

"You mean with tights, and a funny little hat?" Sadly, Ephram could picture it all too well. Even sadder, it sounded kind of hot.

"You know, I think I need to pick up a few Hanukah presents," Ephram said, grabbing a soda as he headed out the door.

"Since when do you buy presents? You just want to see Bright."

"Shut up Delia, or you won't be getting whatever it is I decide to bring you."

"You'd better keep the receipt, whatever it is."

* * *

It was worse than Ephram had imagined. Bright was possibly the goofiest elf he'd ever seen, including the one in that movie. Blond curls springing out from under the green pointed hat. Pointy ear tips stuck on. Tights that really lived up to the meaning of the word. But despite the silliness of the costume, Bright looked totally in his element helping the throngs of kids waiting to see "Santa". In fact, he looked happier than Ephram had seen him in months.

Ephram debated whether he should approach Bright or not. What would he say? "Hey, can I sit on your lap? Bright wasn't Santa, anyway. Chickening out, Ephram headed for the Tower Records store to pick up a promised something for Delia and something else for his dad.

As it turned out, he was going to have to talk to Bright after all. When he went back out to the parking lot, he found his car was dead. Damning his father for getting him "a car he could learn a lesson from", rather than something new, he walked back inside, found an out of sight bench, and waited 'til Bright's shift was done.

Bright wasn't paying attention as he walked past Ephram on the way out the door. He'd taken off the hat, his hair flattened under it amusingly.

"So, what's a guy got to do around here to get his wishes granted?"

"Huh? Ephram, what are you doing here?"

"I heard you had a new gig. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to tease me about it, like you are now."

"I'm not. You looked good up there. You make a good elf."

"How long have you been watching?"

"A few hours."

"I was that entertaining? Thanks, Dude." Clearly Bright's embarrassment hadn't lasted.

"Don't flatter yourself that much. I need a ride home. My car's dead again."

"Couldn't you have called your dad?" Bright seemed reluctant to give Ephram a ride. Ephram didn't know why. Maybe he really was mad that Ephram had watched him.

"Not when you were here. Come on. I'll even buy you pizza. Or whatever." Ephram realized Bright might not want to go back to the scene of his crime.

"All right. Fine. Just don't say anything…" Bright sighed, and unlocked the truck's door for Ephram.

It took a minute before Ephram noticed it. It was just a small sprig, tied to the rear view mirror. But it was obviously mistletoe, and mistletoe had only one purpose. Even a half Jewish kid from New York City knew that.

"Is this why you didn't want me in your car?"

"No, it's just - not exactly. " Bright blushed.  
"Then what?"

"It's why I wanted you in my car. I just didn't know how to say it." With that, Bright leaned towards Ephram and kissed him. Just as Ephram had suspected, he tasted like Chee-tos.


End file.
